Regina's Blog

Effective speakers use visual language to engage the audience. Your hand gestures, facial expression, posture, movement and eye contact are critical components of your visual language. When you take the stage, always maintain eye contact with the audience, not with the screen behind you. Make sure you are appropriately and professionally dressed for the occasion. Make sure your appearance is neat and clean. You don’t need to have a $1000 suit but you need to be dressed appropriately. You don’t want the audience to remember you because your slip was showing or because your shirt was wrinkled. Don’t wear anything that is distracting and takes away from your message. For example, 20 bangle bracelets that make noise every time you gesture is not a great idea. Practice your hand gestures and body movement when you rehearse your speech. Your hand gestures should complement your language, not distract the audience. If you are a mess, the audience will perceive that you don’t know what you are talking about. Don’t forget to smile! When you smile it looks like you are enjoying the audience.